Russia open to talks with all Syrian opposition members – Lavrov
In an effort to broker a peaceful solution to the Syrian conflict, Moscow says unlike the West it’s committed to negotiating with all sides. Russia strongly opposes arming the rebels, with the foreign minister calling for ‘direct talks’.
“We’re open for talks with all Syrian opposition members, but
I think a way to stop the violence won't be found in Moscow or any
other foreign capital, only in direct talks between the opposition
and the Syrian government,” Sergey Lavrov said on Friday.
“Arming non-governmental players violates international law.
It's not the time to pour oil on the fire of the Syrian conflict.
For all outside players it’s time to push all parties – the Syrian
government and various opposition groups, political and military -
and force them to announce a ceasefire and sit down for talks.
Arming the Syrian rebels is betting on a military solution and not
a political settlement,” he added.
Earlier this week, during his visit to Hungary, Lavrov said that
although Russia’s and America’s stances regarding the Syrian
problem play an important role, not everything depends on the two
countries.
“It’s important that all [other] outer players without any
exception work on the accomplishment of the agreements reached in
Geneva,” Lavrov stated on Thursday. “First and foremost, I’m
referring to the refusal of the preliminary conditions and
contrived pretexts for dragging direct negotiations between Syrian
and the opposition,” he said.
Moscow adheres to the Geneva Communique which was adopted by the
Action Group for Syria in June to ensure a better solution to the
Syrian crisis. Agreed by a number of states, including Russia and
the United States, it calls for both sides of the conflict to honor
a ceasefire and enter into negotiations.
However, Russia doesn’t support Washington's plan of Assad stepping
down being the key step towards peace in the war-torn country.
“There's a difference of opinion between Russia and the United
States with respect to when or how Assad might leave. I don't think
there's a difference of opinion that his leaving may either be
inevitable or necessary to be able to have a solution,” the US
Secretary of State John Kerry said at the meeting in NATO
headquarters in Brussels.
Meanwhile, Russia has accused Western nations of blocking a
series of peace efforts, warning that if the status quo continues,
Syria comes to grips with a radical Islamist threat.
“Over the last months, there is a growing understanding of real
threats we will all face if this status quo maintains, if all
efforts to build dialogue will be hindered and blocked by the
minority of the international community, which is very aggressive
and very bloodthirsty,” Lavrov said.
UN 'politicizing' Syria chemical weapons issue
In March the Syrian government said the rebels used a rocket with a
chemical warhead in Aleppo, in the northwest of the country,
killing 25 people, including soldiers, and injuring over 80.
Unconfirmed reports released in foreign media claimed that chemical
weapons might have been used in several parts of Syria. The message
came in the form of a letter, claiming that soil samples, witness
interviews and statements from opposition sources supported the
idea that nerve agents had been used in and around Aleppo, Homs and
Damascus.
Lavrov suggested that UN chemical weapons inspectors examine
specific allegations of chemical weapons use and accused the allies
of politicizing the issue.
“Under continued pressure from certain Western members of the
Security Council, the general-secretary has not dispatched the
experts, and I consider this absolutely unacceptable. It's an
attempt to politicize the issue,” he stated.
In April the UK and France addressed UN Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon with allegations that Syria allegedly used chemical weapons
on multiple occasions since December, according to reports emerging
from top diplomats and officials. Syria is one of the few countries
that hasn’t signed the Chemical Weapons Convention, which
internationally bans their use.
The message came in the form of a letter claiming that soil
samples, witness interviews and statements from opposition sources
supported the idea that nerve agents had been used in and around in
the northwest of the country, Aleppo, as well as in the city of
Homs and the capital, Damascus.
Assad’s administration has repeatedly denied the allegations,
insisting that the rebels were behind the Aleppo attack on March
19.
Following the Aleppo incident, Barack Obama warned that any use of
chemical attacks by the Assad government would constitute crossing
a “red line”. The US president added that he had “instructed [his]
teams to work closely with all other countries in the region and
international organizations and institutions to find out precisely
whether this red line was crossed.”
Meanwhile in late April, John Kerry announced that the US would
double its non-lethal military aid to Syria’s rebels. The US $123
million defense aid package was announced by the Secretary of State
at the meeting in Istanbul. He said the new non-lethal military
supplies would go beyond the current provisions of food rations and
medical kits. Since February, the US has shipped food and medical
supplies to the Free Syrian Army, which according to the White
House has so far cost an estimated $117 million.
The Syrian National Coalition has also declared it firmly rejects
"all forms of terrorism." After German Foreign Minister
Guido Westerwelle stressed that the Syrian opposition must distance
itself from "terrorist and extremist" forces, the SNC vowed
to guarantee that any weapons it receives will not “fall into
the wrong hands.”
Damascus has repeatedly labeled the rebels fighting to oust Assad
as "terrorists" sponsored by foreign powers. Bashar Assad
maintained that the foreign element had played a key role since the
outbreak of the Syrian crisis.
According to the UN, the violence in Syria has now killed more than
70,000 people and despite international pressure Assad has managed
to retain power for far longer than expected by those advocating
him to stand down.